


Happily Ever After

by Wolferfly



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Anniversary, Embedded Images, Gift Exchange, Gift Giving, Growing Old, Growing Old Together, Happily Ever After, Katsudon Bang, M/M, Marriage, Memory Loss, Memory Related, Old Age, Older Characters, Same-Sex Marriage, Wedding Fluff, Wedding Planning, Weddings, bang, katsudonbang2017, wedding anniversary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 15:42:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10390155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolferfly/pseuds/Wolferfly
Summary: Today is Yuuri and Victor’s anniversary. It has been 35 years since they were married and Yuuri can remember every detail from that day. He can remember the way the waves on the beach crashed, the way the seagulls sounded, how he felt as he walked down the aisle with his parents. Or does he truly remember everything correctly as him and Victor spend the day together, recounting their favorite wedding memories.-----As Yuuri picked up the picture to brush the dust off, its silver frame shone in the light. This was his favorite picture of him and Victor, taken after they had said their wedding vows. Their first kiss as newlywed husbands. He smiled softly, looking at the picture next to it which was taken just moments later. Both pictures shared a plain silver frame, something that caught the light and also showed how bright the sky and Victor’s eyes were. Victor had wanted them in gold frames, but Yuuri had shot that down proclaiming there was enough gold in their lives. He can still hear the hearty laugh Victor responded with. Yuuri loved the way his husband laughed.





	

****

 

As Yuuri picked up the picture to brush the dust off, its silver frame shone in the light. This was his favorite picture of him and Victor, taken after they had said their wedding vows. Their first kiss as newlywed husbands. He smiled softly, looking at the picture next to it which was taken just moments later. Both pictures shared a plain silver frame, something that caught the light and also showed how bright the sky and Victor’s eyes were. Victor had wanted them in gold frames, but Yuuri had shot that down proclaiming there was enough gold in their lives. He can still hear the hearty laugh Victor responded with. Yuuri loved the way his husband laughed. The second picture was of them together, waving towards the photographer with tears in their eyes. Both of them were always so emotional, never afraid to cry in front of the other or even in front of other people. It had been 35 years since these pictures were taken. Thirty-five years of married life. It seemed longer and at the same time, so much shorter. Time was such a strange and fickle thing, something that could change in the blink of an eye.

Yuuri brought the picture over to the couch, sitting down to stare at it more. He simply adored this picture. It was something he looked at every day, taking time to sit down and admire it like he was doing today. Even he could agree that he looked good in these photos. He was much slimmer at that time than now, Yuuri thought with a chuckle. Every time he looked at these pictures the memories from their wedding came flooding back. There were some blurry moments. Thirty-five years would cause any memory to be blurry in parts, but the entire ceremony was crystal clear. Every small detail. Every word of their vows, his and Victor’s. Even the sound of the seagulls and the wind over the ocean. The pictures were also the first thing that greeted anyone when they walked into their living room. It was the center picture on the mantle, as well as the biggest. It was even bigger than the picture of Yuuri’s Grand Prix win or the second gold Grand Prix medal of Yuri, achieved after a long and hard year of being coached by both Yuuri and Victor. While all of these memories were important, none of them lived up to the beauty of his and Victor’s wedding day… Which happened to be 35 years ago, today.

The door creaked as Victor opened it. The bags thudded on the floor loud enough that Yuuri thought it echoed a bit. What had Victor bought? Victor had been out present shopping as well as shopping in general. Yuuri didn’t go with him due to the present part, but also because his knees were bothering him today. He had developed arthritis in his later years, something his father had developed as well. His quick weight gain was not the only thing he had inherited from his father.

“I’m in here!” Yuuri yelled, though the entrance was not too far from the coach he was sitting on. He could even feel the warmth from the spring air sweeping into the house. Yuuri looked up from his picture, greeted by a small bouquet of roses being held out by Victor. A soft smile crossed his lips as he looked up past the red to those still icy blue eyes. Victor, despite his thinning hair, was still as beautiful as when they first met. He could still charm anyone he came across, and yet he decided to use that charm every day on Yuuri Katsuki-Nikiforov, something Yuuri was grateful and still confused by. Even in his 35 years of marriage, he never got over feeling lucky that Victor had fallen for him. How could anyone when flowers were a frequent gift? Yuuri never complained, being greeted almost monthly by a new floral arrangement from his husband. Some habits from being a skater never leave, it would seem.

Victor sat on the couch, placing the roses across Yuuri’s lap before kissing his cheek. Yuuri gently stroked the roses, admiring their beauty and wondering what other gifts awaited him. Flowers were rarely given alone, especially on such an important day as today. Yuuri’s eyes looked towards the entrance, scanning the bags that were still sitting by the door. He couldn’t see any logos or familiar bags. Darn, he was going to have to wait.

“You’re looking at that old thing again?” Victor chuckled, taking the picture from Yuuri’s hand with his wrinkled yet still delicate fingers. Yuuri loved his husband’s soft hands. They were delicate in everything they did throughout the years they had been together, at least when it came to Yuuri. Yuuri found himself using his now empty hand to gently stroke the back of Victor’s.

“Of course I am!” Yuuri huffed, leaning against his husband. “I can’t believe we settled on matching suits though… I still think it is a little bit too cheesy, even for us. What a goofy idea of yours!” The words were spoken with a grin, Yuuri was just messing with Victor. He loved the suits, especially the way Victor looked in his. There was a small detail Yuuri was wrong about, though not intentionally.

“But look at how handsome you are!” Victor chuckled, placing the picture down on the coffee table. He knew the game Yuuri was playing all too well. After being married 35 years, it becomes hard to trick your partner. “Plus, wasn’t that your idea?” Yuuri blushed. Oh yeah, that was my idea, he thought, covering his mouth with a hand. How could he have forgotten? His memory wasn’t the best in his climbing age, but he generally remembered every detail of their wedding day. It was the most treasured memory of his and to forget something like that? He sighed, leaning harder into Victor. Victor wrapped an arm around him, hugging him gently.

“Don’t worry. It’s a minor detail. What matters is how good we looked. I think we made everyone jealous.” Victor said the words with a smile. “Besides, you may have suggested it, but I picked them out. After that suit you wore when I first started coaching you, there is no way I’d let you pick the suits out!” Victor laughed, as Yuuri gently prodded him in the side with a frown. He wasn’t actually upset or mad.

“I resent that! I liked that suit.” He huffed again before kissing Victor’s cheek. “You always bring that suit up! It’s been 35 years since we were married, and even longer since I had that suit, Vitya.” The nickname came out with a small scolding tone, like a parent talking to a child. Yuuri pouted, though the corners of his mouth was twitching as he attempted to prevent a smile from crossing his lips.

“Oh come on. It was a bad suit. You have to admit that.” Victor gently brushed Yuuri’s hair from his face, which he had grown out. Yuuri, unlike Victor, was able to keep most of his hair in his advancing age. It even still held it’s black hue, with only a few stray gray hairs. What he did not keep was his skating weight. Turns out that no matter how many years you are a figure skater, if easy weight gain runs in your family, it runs in your family. He was even chubbier than when Victor first started coaching him. “What do you want to do tonight?”

“Stay home…. My knees are bothering me… Sorry.” He averted his gaze from Victor. Years of skating and a family history with arthritis had caught up to Yuuri. He often required a cane to walk, but that often didn’t stop him from going out with Victor. Up until recently they had used much of their free time exploring the world, visiting as many tourist sites for Victor and cafes for Yuuri as possible. They had been all over the world for their skating careers but rarely had time to explore. They used their retirement for that explicit purpose.

Yuuri was embarrassed by his illness. He didn’t want to make it so they couldn’t go out, but getting up and down even just out of the car was too much for him sometimes. There were days his arthritis was so bad, Yuuri struggled to get out of bed. While having a cane and medications help, there were still the occasional bad days. Of course, one of those bad days would be today. Yuuri sighed, still avoiding Victor’s gaze. He was going to ruin their anniversary with his inability to get up and down easily. It was like him to let people down, especially Victor. He still couldn’t figure out why Victor had married him and stayed married to him.

“No need to apologize. We can stay in and reminisce about the good old times, before I lost my hair.” Victor ran a hand through his thin silver hair, laughing.

“And back when I was skinny.” Victor responded by poking Yuuri in his chubby stomach, pouting. Yuuri didn’t like that he had gained so much weight, most of it gained not too long after they retired together. It was a sore subject, especially with his deteriorating joints.

“Don’t act like you aren’t adorable!” Victor huffed now, kissing the top of Yuuri’s head. “You looked and still look wonderful.” Yuuri blushed. Victor’s compliments, not many how many he had heard over the years, always made him blush.

“As do you, hair or not.” Yuuri kissed his husband softly. “You will always be handsome to me. Even if you go bald.”

A soft ‘tch’ from Victor only caused Yuuri to chuckle. Victor’s hair was always a sore spot, just like Yuuri’s weight.

\-----

Spring. A time of new beginnings. New life. Spring is always seen as the time for new things; for growth and renewal. This is why Yuuri and Victor decided for their wedding to be during the Japanese spring. For Victor, the spring was representative of the new changes in his life. The two Ls he had neglected, life and love, were finally growing and blossoming, much like the Japanese cherry blossom trees. It was the start of Victor’s life with the person who brought both of those things into his life. For Yuuri, it was also the mark of a new life. One with confidence and personal growth alongside someone who he loved and who loved him back. Yuuri’s world was changing, much as the world does from winter into spring. It was a new beginning for the both of them, having decided to retire and become coaches, together. Everything was falling in place and a spring wedding was the perfect time.

Once the time was decided, then came the location. This was harder to decide than the timing for Yuuri and Victor. Their lives held many special places, in both Russia and Japan, and several other countries. Their skating careers had left a wonderful trail of memories across the entire globe. Eventually, Victor convinced Yuuri for them to have it on the beaches of Hasetsu, the place Victor considered the real location where their relationship started. While that fateful night at the banquet set the events in motion, this location was where Yuuri remembered it all beginning. These beaches started something wonderful, in both Yuuri and Victor. It was here they had started their growing bond as coach and mentee, which evolved into something more. Where their lives would start to be forever changed by the presence of the other in their life. There were many memories here, and since this was a new beginning in their lives, why not start it where it began before? It had been lucky then, why not now? That was Victor’s line of thinking anyway.

Yuuri doesn’t remember much of the planning process after that. Whether it is due to the chaos the ensued in the planning, or his slowly failing memory, Yuuri was not sure. Regardless of the reason, it was a blur of phone calls and long discussions. It was numerous emails sent back and forth only to be followed up by phone calls. There were conversations had across the world. There were nights where they stayed up until the sun came up, discussing the numerous aspects of the wedding, who would play what role, what traditions would be shared and so forth. Every small detail was to be considered and quite frankly, there was no way someone with a decent memory could remember all the planning details that led up to the most important day of Yuuri’s life. A day Yuuri hoped was the most important day of Victor’s life as well. At least, Yuuri didn’t think that was possible to remember the details and remember the details of the wedding as well.

The one thing Yuuri did remember was the suits, for the most part. Victor demanded that he be the one allowed to pick them out. There was no way Yuuri was allowed to, especially after his beloved old suit. He teased Yuuri relentlessly about that old suit and used that as leverage to be the one to pick out their wedding suits. Yuuri in turn made Victor agree that they had to match. They were a pair and thus, their suits had to come as a pair. Victor thought the idea was hilarious and while this embarrassed Yuuri, he was adamant about it.  Victor could pick the suits as long as they matched, that was the agreement. He agreed to this condition and went to work finding their suits. This was something Victor decided to do in secret, not letting Yuuri have any input. He didn’t appreciate this fact until he saw the suits the day before the wedding. This was something that almost turned into a fight, Yuuri believing that Victor did this so that he would have no option but to accept what Victor chose without his input. The words from this fight still make Yuuri feel ashamed. He was close to calling the wedding off, letting his anxiety and fear get the better of him.

However, once Yuuri saw the suits, his worries were put to rest. They had been personally tailored by someone Victor knew, a friend who made some of his skating costumes as well. He had taken and sent their measurements, double checking and spending a significant amount of time on the phone and sending emails to make sure they were correct. Victor even flew him in the day before the wedding to make sure everything fit. Even then, Yuuri didn’t get to see Victor in the suit until the wedding day. Victor also refused to see Yuuri in his own suit, standing outside the room while he tried it on. Yuuri spent his time in the suit in silence, staring at his reflection in the full-length mirror. Victor had impeccable taste and the suit not only fit perfectly, but looked gorgeous. All Yuuri could think about though, was not how nice he looked in the suit, but what Victor would look like standing at the alter the next day.

Despite the potential for a huge wedding, it was quite small. Only close friends and family were invited, which Victor struggled with. Of course, the problem was, how many people can you fit on a strip of beach without it taking too long and the tide rising and ruining the wedding? Eventually, sense was talked into Victor and the wedding was sized appropriately for not only the beach, but a reception hall in Hasetsu. Yuuri was honestly glad that there were no large reception halls in the area as it made convincing Victor to downsize his guest list that much easier.

 Yuuri asked Phichit to be his best man and Victor asked Yakov. What originally started as a joke one late night turned into a reality with Makkachin becoming the flower dog. One of those long and sleepless nights trying to plan and organize the wedding, where they joked about how there was no one to be the flower bearer. Makkachin let out a small woof and Victor proclaimed that he was saying he wanted to be the flower dog! Some time (and possibly some drinks) later, they were discussing how to get Makkachin to wear a flower crown and how to train him to carry the basket. To this day, Yuuri catches Victor smiling at the picture of Makkachin with the flower crown on and the basket in his mouth, the gray fur on his muzzle starting to show his age at the time. Phichit was the one to take that picture, and it remains one of the few photos that Victor keeps in the bedroom. Yuri Plisetsky ended up being the ring bearer. It was begrudgingly at first, but he came around rather easily to the idea. That was the way Yuri acted then, and continues to act now. The tough exterior that really hid the kind person he was underneath. The last time Victor and Yuuri visited him in Russia, he still had the picture of him walking down the aisle with the rings on that black pillow. If you brought it up, he would insist he hated being the ring bearer but kept the picture because it was one of the few he liked of himself. Yuuri and Victor both knew that the truth was that he was extremely honored by his place in the ceremony.

Setting up a wedding on a beach is a bit harder than one would expect. Not that planning a wedding isn’t hard, but there is an extra level of difficulty when dealing with the terrain of a beach. Getting the chairs to remain level was difficult and the time had to be considered with the level of the tides. They also wanted a semi-remote section of the beach where the wedding could be held without too much outside pestering. This was a big event and while there would be media coverage, Victor and Yuuri wanted there to be as little interference as possible. This was something special, something personal that they wanted to share with each other and their loved ones. The media would get their turn when they were ready to share. The Katsuki family was able to pull some strings, making sure that there would be a section of beach to accommodate the wedding and the guests. They even offered to keep the Nikiforov family at their onsen so that they didn’t have to worry about hotel costs. Aside from small hiccups when it came to certain customs, the wedding planning went smoothly.

\-----

“Do you remember how you felt when you walked down the aisle?” Yuuri looked to Victor, picking the picture back up and smiling. The feeling was something he would never forget. Walking down that aisle and seeing Victor waiting for him, a smile across his face. Yuuri swears Victor had tears in his eyes already at the time, something Victor denies.

“Of course… I remember looking down and seeing you already crying.” Victor laughed, hugging his husband tightly. “If it wasn’t our wedding day, I’d be concerned to see you crying like that, but you were smiling so wide too… You were adorable.”

“I couldn’t help myself. I still didn’t believe it was happening and to see you in that suit. They really were perfect… Straight black with those gold accents…Plus, if I recall correctly, you were already on the verge of crying too.” Yuuri picked up the roses, reaching to place them in the empty vase on the table. Victor always got him flowers, different ones for different occasions. Some skating traditions don’t die, regardless of your coach becoming your lover who then your husband. “You were so handsome and I was so happy… I just started crying.”

“I was happy too! Though it didn’t hit me until after our vows, when I actually started to tear up.” He gestured towards the picture that came after the one Yuuri was holding in his hand. “Hearing someone else finally call you my husband… That’s when it all became real for me, as silly as it sounds. I had gone over it so many times in my own head and out loud, practicing and practicing. Yet to hear the officiator say it, pronouncing us husbands that really solidified it. It wasn’t just a dream or something in my own head.”

Yuuri closed his eyes, resting his head on Victor’s shoulder. He understood that sentiment. When they shared vows, it felt like they were in some kind of dream. They had joked about getting married, back when they exchanged engagement rings which for some reason, they refused to call them that at the time. Promise rings was the word Yuuri had used. Maybe he was in denial about what was happening, though everyone else seemed to know exactly what was going on. Even before the rings, Victor had alluded to them getting married at the airport.

“I don’t think Phichit stopped taking pictures the whole time.” Yuuri laughed softly to himself, thinking of Phichit’s reaction not only when he saw the engagement rings, but also when he was finally told that they were really getting married. Phichit’s excitement shot through the roof when Yuuri’s next question was asking his best friend to also be his best man at his wedding. Despite being always happy, Yuuri couldn’t remember a time when Phichit was happier. Actually, that was a lie. When Phichit finally got his skate show and Victor and Yuuri agreed to participate in it for a bit is when Phichit was the happiest Yuuri had ever seen him.

“Yakov didn’t appreciate it.” Victor sighed, shaking his head. “He complained about it at the reception but, it’s Phichit, what can you do?” They both laughed this time, not even needing to say their agreement. Phichit hadn’t changed in 35 years either, still being extremely active on social media. Even as an older man, Phichit was a social media star. Luckily, that made it easy for Yuuri to keep in contact with his longtime friend despite them living in different countries and both being retired. In fact, Phichit had tagged him on an Instagram post today to wish him a happy anniversary.

“I don’t think there was a lot of things Yakov appreciated. He wanted a completely Russian wedding, right?” Yuuri scooted closer to Victor, fixing the roses in their vase. “Complete with that kidnapping* tradition.” Victor broke out laughing now, wiping tears from his eyes. Yuuri smiled, knowing that whenever he brought that up, Victor laughed himself to tears. It was something Yakov had even brought up in his toast to the happy couple. Typical Yakov, hardheaded and seeing his way as the best and not afraid to let everyone know it. That’s why the joke that Victor was the reason he lost his hair worked so well. Both of them had fond memories of the man, despite his rather bullish nature. Despite being a hard ass, Yakov was a great coach and Yuuri knew there were times Victor missed his old coach. Victor was a hard person to tell no and get him to listen to it, Yakov being only of the few people who would be able to get him to listen. Even for Yakov though, that was an occasional thing.

“I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” Victor stood up, stretching. He extended a hand and Yuuri shook his head, looking down at his legs. He didn’t want to get up at the moment. He could feel the ache in his knees still from earlier and all he was doing was standing and looking at the pictures. “Oh, alright. I’ll bring the bags in here then.” Victor left the room, grabbing the bags before coming back. He set them down on the coffee table as well as the floor before returning to sit next to Yuuri. Yuuri looked over the bags again, still seeing nothing that he recognized. What did Victor buy him? Did he buy him anything?

“How do you like your gift? Does it fit alright?” He grabbed Victor’s arm, examining the bracelet he had gotten his husband for their anniversary. It was a jade and gold bracelet, a simple design with no real design. It had taken Yuuri sometime before he decided on the plain bracelet. None of the more complex bracelets were fitting and Yuuri didn’t quite have the money to buy something completely personalized. Just because they were world winning skaters did not mean they were made of money. He had spent a decent amount of time paying off their engagement rings. They lived comfortably in their retirement and Yuuri couldn’t ask for anything more.

“It’s perfect and I love it, hun. Thank you.” Victor kissed Yuuri’s forehead, brushing his black hair behind his ear. “You always fuss over gifts so much. If I’m wearing it, I love it.” Yuuri sighed, leaning into Victor’s touch. It was true, he was always worried that even after all of these years he would forget what Victor liked and didn’t like. Jewelry wasn’t something Victor was big on, but he would wear the occasional bracelet. Victor reached out for a blue bag, rummaging around before handing a small black box to Yuuri. “Now it’s my turn.”

Yuuri gently took the box, looking back to the roses. He should have figured Victor wouldn’t have only given him the roses. That wasn’t like Victor. Flowers were given for any reason, and an anniversary was something special. There were always those flashes of worry and doubt, though it was mostly for himself. It was foolish of him, but there are only so many things you can do when controlling a mental illness like anxiety. Yuuri smiled and slowly opened the box.

Inside was a gold ring with three small emeralds on the top. It was simple like the bracelet he got Victor, like Victor knew what he was getting despite Yuuri not even dare to look at a gift with Victor around. He gently lifted it from the box, noticing the engraving on the inside: ‘My Life and My Love’. Victor was always a sentimental person, to the point it was corny. Something Yuuri loved so deeply about Victor. Victor gently took the ring from Yuuri’s fingers and placed it on his left hand, smiling as he did so.

“Do you like it?” Victor looked into Yuuri’s eyes with those still icy blue ones. Yuuri wrapped his arms tightly around Victor’s neck, hugging him.

“I love it. It’s perfect, absolutely perfect. Thank you.” Yuuri kissed Victor’s temple before nuzzling into his neck. “I mean it… Thank you, Vitya…” Yuuri sighed happily, ignoring the fact his glasses were being smashed into the bridge of his nose. Victor’s gifts were always perfect, from finding the right type of flowers regardless of the occasion. This ring was gorgeous in its simplicity and the fact it matched the bracelet he got Victor only made it that much more perfect.

The way Victor placed the ring on his finger took him back to their wedding, to them saying their vows, to them being pronounced husbands, to the moment they solidified their commitment to spend their lives together.

****

\-----

They walked down the aisle in silence. No music, just the crashing waves and the seagulls as well as the gentle murmuring of the guests. It was peaceful, as it should be. The moment required no music, nothing but the moment itself being enjoyed for what it was; a display of love and commitment. It was the first and most likely the last time that some of these people, for example, JJ and Phichit, would remain quiet for more than a brief moment.

The moment they exchanged rings would be forever locked in Yuuri’s memory, every small detail of it. The way the breeze felt against his skin on the bright Spring day. The way the seagulls seemed to be joyfully playing and congratulating them with their calls. All the way down to Yurio starting to shake as he held the rings out for Victor and Yuuri, trying to hold back his own tears. That was never brought up. The fact that always hard and angry Yurio cried at their wedding was something that they both agreed would be something Yurio would bring up if he wanted to and he never did. That was fine by them, a personal memory that only the three of them shared. It needed no discussing. Even the hardened teen Yurio was moved to tears at their wedding. Yuuri could even remember the softness of Victor’s fingers on his hands as he held them, trying to hide the fact he was shaking. Yuuri could feel Victor’s shaking as he slid the ring onto his finger, and Yuuri was also shaking as he did the same. The combination of nerves, excitement, and overwhelming joy all mixed into one wonderful emotions. Neither of them could ever remember feeling this way at any time of their lives, on or off the ice. All of these memories were crystal clear in Yuuri’s memory and the day they became foggy was something Yuuri never dared to think about.

It looked almost supernatural, the way the light caught those golden rings as Yurio held them out for each of them to take as they said their vows. They decided to use their promise rings, engraving the date of their marriage on the inside of them. New beginnings were based on the past and thus, why not use the symbol of their commitment to each other before the wedding as the same symbol after? The rings were a promise and good luck charm for both of them thus, they symbolized a lot in their lives. Plus, when they first got them they were already listed as wedding rings so why not make that the truth? A small detail that they decided to ignore when they called them promise rings.

Victor’s eyes seemed like the ocean that day. They were so bright and blue, reflecting not only the sky but the ocean they were being married next to. Yuuri had to fight back his own tears as they shared their vows which made it difficult to stare into those icy eyes. It was comforting to see the same tears welling up in Victor’s eyes to match his own. Yuuri always thought Victor was gorgeous when he cried, a small detail he was embarrassed to admit. Each of them had spent hours writing their vows, correcting them, getting them right only for them both to end up throwing them to the wind.

Yuuri knows that in the moment, he forgot everything and just went with his emotions. He was so overwhelmed with the emotions of the moment there was no way he could remember a pre-written speech without any notes. So, he went with what his heart was telling him at that moment. Victor would say that he didn’t feel his fit after hearing Yuuri’s vows. The truth to this statement is something Yuuri doubts to this day, though the real reason didn’t matter to him. Regardless, the words Victor spoke that day and the promises he made he held. Yuuri did the same, though at times he felt like he hadn’t kept his end of the relationship.

Despite their fights, their low moments, despite everything Victor had stayed by Yuuri’s side. Even when he had to retire early and went into a vicious depressive episode, Victor never left his side. Mental illness takes a strain on any relationship, regardless of how in love the people involved are. There are days where Yuuri felt like his mental illness was going to be the end of it all. Days where Yuuri felt he was going to end it all. Despite Yuuri’s own doubts and sometimes his outbursts, Victor remained by his side. There were some nights where Victor left, a way to give them both space, but he always came back. Victor remained faithful, caring, and understanding just as he had promised 35 years ago in his vows.

The wedding went smoothly from there, having only experienced a few hitches before they said their vows. Having no music made timing cues a bit hard, which caused the wedding to take a bit longer than expected. Luckily despite the delays, they got everything done just before the tide began to roll in. The timing was perfect, regardless, and they made it to the reception hall without a problem. Originally, the reception was to be held at the onsen, but there were simply too many people. It was small for what was expected of the now Katsuki-Nikiforov wedding, but there was no way the Katsuki family onsen could hold that many people.

\-----

“Hey Victor… How long did we kiss for?” Yuuri looked up from his ring, as Victor was placing the new clothes he purchased away. Yuuri was amazed by how perfect his gift was. He hoped Victor felt the same way about the bracelet. He knew Victor assured him he liked it, but the doubt always lingered in the back of his mind whenever he gave anything to Victor. The glimmer of the bracelet caught the light as Victor was folding clothes. Yuuri still couldn’t get over the fact they matched, and wondered again if Victor somehow figured out what Yuuri was getting him. Yet, he went to get the ring today so maybe he wanted to wait to get something to match? That didn’t make sense though since the ring had to be engraved. Yuuri was brought out of his wondering by Victor’s voice.

“Hmm….Twenty seconds?” Victor folded his shirt, placing it into the drawer. “Or do you mean the first time and the second time separately?” Yuuri laughed at the question, shaking his head. Victor didn’t tell him about this Russian tradition, deciding to surprise him with it. “Well in total it was twenty…The first time I believe was five seconds and you caught on pretty fast, so the second time was fifteen.”  Victor sat on the bed next to Yuuri. “I believe Yakov started that one too.” Victor gently placed his hand on Yuuri’s thigh, his fingers rubbing gently.

“You should have told me about that tradition instead of expecting me to immediately catch on.” Yuuri ruffled Victor’s hair playfully. Despite his thinning hair, Yuuri still loved to play with it. It was still the same silver color it always was as well. Yuuri found himself admiring Victor again, his brown eyes exploring Victor’s aged face. He loved everything about his husband, from his crow’s feet wrinkles to the still sharp blue eyes. He loved his smile lines and the way his mouth naturally rested in a smile. Even as he aged, Victor was handsome. Yuuri smiled, relishing in how lucky he was.

“That isn’t as fun though! It’s more fun if I get to embarrass and surprise you at the same time.” Victor grinned, tilting his head back to kiss at Yuuri’s hands. “Way more fun that way.” Yuuri laughed as he stroked Victor’s cheek with his hand, the other moving to gently rest on the one Victor had on his thigh.

\-----

After all the guests had been seated, the drinks began to flow. Both Japanese and Russian wedding traditions were full of various customs involving drinking. First was a round of sake, done kagami-biraki style with the newly married couple opening the barrel. They served each one of the guests, filling the small cups and passing them down. A toast was given to both the Katsuki and Nikiforv family, thanking them for their support and their well wishes. Yuuri thanked the Nikiforv family for accepting him into their lives and allowing him to marry their son. Victor thanked the Katsuki family for raising such a wonderful son and welcoming a foreigner and outsider into their family so enthusiastically.

The wine came next. Victor had spent some time picking out the wine for this part of the reception. Yuuri had allowed his family to pick out the sake for the kagami-biraki part of the reception. Victor had even asked several vineyards across the world to send him samples. Phichit and Yakov gave their toasts, with Yakov giving his second. Phichit spoke fondly of their time together in Detroit, of their friendship and how Victor had changed Yuuri’s life. Yakov spoke of his time as Victor’s coach and how Victor had changed as a skater and a person since becoming Yuuri’s coach as well as competing alongside him. The ordering of the toasts was not coincidence though. This was all according to the plan Yakov and Victor had decided on, leaving Yuuri out of those discussions. After the toast, everyone drank from their glasses, then the real plan was set into motion.

“Gor’ko!” Yakov exclaimed, looking over at Victor. The grin that crossed Victor’s face as he stood and grabbed Yuuri’s hand was one of mischievous glee. Victor squeezed his hands and gently pulled him up. Yuuri looked up at Victor confused, though he went with the tug and stood up next to him. Next thing Yuuri heard was all of the Russian guests Victor had invited were chanting ‘gor’ko’. Victor let go of Yuuri’s hands and gently held Yuuri’s face between his hands. He could feel the blush running hot across his face as Victor kissed him, holding him there. The guests were now counting and Yuuri had no idea what so going on so at five, he pulled away. He was confused, more than confused, at what was going on.

Victor pouted and the crowd started chanting again, now everyone including Yuuri’s parents were getting involved. Some of the Russian guests were even banging their glasses on the table. Victor kissed Yuuri again and the crowd started counting again. It took a second for those not used to the custom to start counting along, but eventually everyone was counting. Yuuri returned the kiss, leaning into Victor. He was still blushing, not liking to kiss in front of so many people. It was their wedding day though, it was for them and their love. This was obviously a Russian tradition so why not go with it?

“Fourteen…Fifteen…” Victor pulled away, smiling. Yuuri fixed his glasses and looked down, biting his lip. The room burst into applause and cheering. Glasses clanked together as people toasted the newlyweds. The room was simply buzzing with energy and excitement now as people finished their drinks. They sat back down with Victor laughing and draining his wine glass. This would not be the last drink that Victor drained nor would it be the last glass Yuuri drank either. Another round of sake was passed around the table, as well as another round of toasts and drinks. The night was going to be long with toasts, drinks, and gifts.

Each table had an arrangement of golden cranes on it. The golden cranes were origami style with their backs filled with flowers. Yuuri tried to get the traditional 1,000 cranes for the reception, but there simply wasn’t anywhere to put that many. They settled instead for golden crane arrangements, as well as the large and colorful sushi arrangements as one of the courses for food. The blending of cultures led for some complications, but it kept things interesting as Yuuri was finding out and enjoying.  

Drink after drink was served. There were many toasts, to the newlyweds, to the families, to the friends, to the future. Almost everything had a toast and everyone seemed to want to give their own speech about the newlywed couple. Praises were sang and embarrassing stories were told for both Victor and Yuuri. Presents were given throughout the reception as well, leaving the area around Victor and Yuuri quite crowded. By the time the first dance came around, both Victor and Yuuri were feeling the alcohol, though the Japanese man was quite a bit more drunk than his Russian husband. He had already undone his tie and loosened his shirt, an appearance Victor knew meant Yuuri was going to make a fool of himself. It was the look and this type of behavior that had drawn Victor to Yuuri that fateful night at the banquet.

Yuuri was the one dragging Victor to the dance floor while ‘Stay Close to Me’ played over the speakers. There was not much discussion about what song they’d share their first dance to as a married couple. This song had brought them together, they had duet skated to it, and it remained a song that signified their love and their connection for years. Neither of them had suggested the song, it was simply agreed upon and sent to the DJ. It was probably the easiest part of the wedding to have planned, especially since it didn’t really require planning at all. It was the unspoken theme of their lives and their relationship, even when they were simply a coach and his skater.

Victor spent most of the dance holding onto Yuuri, making sure he didn’t fall over. It was a slow song and meant to be a slow and romantic dance, but it was obvious that the alcohol was spurring Yuuri on. There wasn’t much slow or necessarily romantic about the way Yuuri was moving or trying to move. Yuuri just wanted to dance. He wanted everyone to dance. He wanted to dance with Victor. There was one point where Yuuri was asking where Chris was because he wanted to start another dance-off. As the song ended, Yuuri kissed Victor again, holding his face in his hands as Victor had done earlier in the night. His glasses smashed into Victor’s face and he didn’t quite care. He was in love. It was their wedding and he was going to show everyone how much he loved his husband.

****

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“It was the banquet all over again. Alcohol is dangerous for you.” Victor laughed, dropping the pasta into the boiling water. Yuuri scoffed and feigned being offended. Yuuri still didn’t remember the banquet, having been so drunk that the events were gone from his memory. Luckily, everyone else not only had photographic evidence but video evidence of the events.

“You’re pretty bad when you’re drunk too!” Yuuri threw his hands up in the air, playing up the drama. Victor continued to laugh, watching Yuuri over his shoulder. Yuuri crossed his arms over his chest and stuck out his lower lip in a pout. Victor laughed even harder, shaking his head at Yuuri’s theatrics.

“Yes, but it takes a lot for me to get drunk. You on the other hand… You’re tolerance is definitely not that of a Russian.” Victor returned to stirring the pasta, smiling to himself. This was a difference between the two of them. Victor required quite a lot of alcohol to become messy while for Yuuri, it was only about three drinks. The night of the wedding, Yuuri had consumed way more than three drinks by the time they were sharing their first dance.

“Well, at least I am a fun drunk.” Yuuri grinned, sticking his tongue out at Victor’s turned back. Victor pouted and threw the dish towel at his husband over his shoulder. Yuuri caught it and threw it back, hitting Victor in his butt.

“I am fun! I’d bring up the banquet again, but you don’t remember it anyway. Everyone loved that story by the way, especially your parents.” The silver haired Russian picked up the towel before walking over and kissing Yuuri on the head. He pulled the chair next to Yuuri out, sitting down next to his husband.

“When did you tell them about that!?” Yuuri gawked, staring at Victor with his big brown eyes. He had no idea that his parents had known about the banquet. It was not something he exactly wanted to talk to his parents about, considering the events of that night. Sure, the dance-off looked like it was fun, but there was also the pole dancing and the drunkenly asking Victor to be his coach. Also, the reason that he was drinking was not something he wanted to worry his parents with, especially after they had been so supportive of him.

“I told them at the wedding, of course! Don’t you remember? People were asking how we met and I had to tell them the story.” Yuuri felt his mouth hang agape as Victor stood back up to check on the pasta. Victor kissed the top of Yuuri’s head and playfully pushed on his jaw to close it. “It was 35 years ago!”

\----

“And no one knows where the pole came from! It really was a sight to see. Everyone wasn’t surprised by Chris being able to pole dance but Yuuri? I couldn’t look away!” Victor was laughing heavily, the blush spreading across his face as he recounted the story of the banquet. The story of the night he fell in love with the spitfire that was Yuuri. Of course, he didn’t know how Yuuri really was when he was sober and it was quite a shock when he finally decided to take Yuuri up on his offer.  “At the end of the night, he asked me with his tie wrapped around his head, to come to Japan and be his coach. The rest…” Victor gestured to the reception around him and took another drink, raising his glass for another toast.

While Victor was recounting the tale of how he and his now very drunk Japanese husband had met, Yuuri was having another dance off, dragging everyone he could onto the dance floor with him. He once again had dragged Yurio into the mix and the Russian youngster was having a blast, finally having something to do besides being surrounded by adults and listening to them talk about the couple or other things he could not care less about. Chris and Yuuri were dancing together, though the pole that appeared at the banquet was nowhere to be found, at least not yet. Luckily for Yuuri, the pole was not seen on that night. There was no way for him to know that Victor was recounting his embarrassment to his family.

“He doesn’t remember any of it! In fact, he doesn’t even remember I was the one who took care of him when he was hungover later that night!” Victor looked across the hall towards Yuuri, who was yelling at Yurio, his words slurring. The frustration and anger could be almost seen coming off the younger Russian as he tried to understand the half-Japanese and half-English garble coming from the other Yuuri. Victor only laughed, excusing himself to go retrieve his husband. He made his way through the crowd, grabbing Yuuri and pulling him close. Chris pawed at Victor as Yuuri was taken from him, begging Victor to join in the dancing. Yuuri only whined at Victor, echoing Chris’s sentiments. At least, that is what Victor believed was being said to him. The two of them together, both drunk, was a force to be reckoned with. Both of them had perfected the pitiful puppy look, though Victor was partial to those big brown Japanese eyes.

Yuuri threw his arms around Victor’s neck, knocking Victor’s drink from his hand. The glass shattered on the floor, causing the crowd to quickly disperse. Victor motioned for someone to get something to clean the mess up with as Yuuri hung on Victor, crying at him to dance.

“Come on! It’s our wedding! Dance with me!” Yuuri’s tie was nowhere to be seen at this point. His suit jacket was on its way to becoming missing as well and his dress shirt was on its last two buttons. There was even a stain on the shirt, most likely from a drink Yuuri had spilled on himself or knocked from someone’s hand. So much for the personally tailored suits. “Vityaaaaa~” Yuuri whined, almost stamping his foot like a child. This was the man Victor had decided to spend the rest of his life with and he was thrilled. He loved Yuuri in all of his forms, sober, drunk, and whiny child.

“Of course!” Victor grabbed Yuuri around the waist, gently taking Yuuri’s suit jacket off of him and handing it to Phichit to take to the coat check. Phichit had somehow avoided drinking in order to be the sober one of the group. He would later proclaim it was so that he could document the entire night without having to worry about dropping his phone or being too drunk to continue to take pictures. Most of the images ended up on Instagram, with all of them going over them the next day much to Yuuri’s embarrassment. It was the banquet all over again to a point.

The crowd on the floor soon cleared, giving the couple room to dance. They weren’t alone for long though, with people joining in one by one into the excitement. It didn’t take long for Yuuri to end up with his dress shirt entirely unbuttoned. Victor followed suit, taking his own jacket and tie off to join his husband in his drunkenly happy dancing. Victor couldn’t think of a place he would rather be, surrounded by friends and with his now husband. To this day, no one quite knows how long the reception went on or when everyone finally left to nurse their hangovers or those of their loved ones. There were even rumors that Yakov was seen leaving with Lilia, which was the start of their relationship again.

\------

“I had to talk about the banquet, especially with how you were acting.” Victor placed a plate in front of Yuuri as well as a glass of wine. He took his seat next to him, not across. Victor always wanted to be as close to his husband as possible, including deciding to always sit next to him as opposed to across from him which was the usual place. He had always been like this, regardless of whether they were eating at home or if they were eating out. Victor always sat next to Yuuri when they ate.

“I saw the pictures. I still have them…Somewhere around here.” Yuuri kissed Victor’s cheek. “Thank you for dinner… Sorry I couldn’t help more.” He took a sip of the wine, trying to hide he was starting to get upset over this fact. Victor had pulled out the expensive bottle for tonight and by pulled out, he had bought it specifically for tonight. Unfortunately, neither of them were of the age where they could share an entire bottle of wine together and see where it went. To be young again, Yuuri sighed and leaned back in his chair.

“You apologized so much for losing that tie and jacket. I don’t think you stopped apologizing for a year after the wedding.” Victor chuckled, gently clinking his glass against Yuuri’s. Yuuri smiled softly, doing the same to Victor’s glass. “Here’s to us. To 35 years and more.”

“To sticking with me for 35 years and going.” Yuuri smiled softly, both taking a long drink from their glasses.  “I’m still sorry about the jacket, by the way.” The words barely left his lips before he was laughing.

Victor only laughed, leaning against Yuuri and pressing his forehead to the side of Yuuri’s head.

“You’re a goofball, you know that, right?” Yuuri only smiled, turning to kiss his husband softly on the lips. He loved Victor and in 35 years, that had never changed. It never faded nor did it waver. After all these years, he continually found himself thinking about how lucky he was to have Victor has his partner, his husband. Yuuri had gotten his fairy tale ending; his happily ever after.

**Author's Note:**

> *Yuuri is referring to the Russian tradition of paying a ‘ransom’ to free a bride from her parent’s home. Since the wedding was in Japan, this would have been easier to do at the Katsuki residence. (Source: http://www.manhattanbride.com/insights/russian/).
> 
> I took all of the information on wedding traditions from ManhattanBride.com. If they are incorrect, my apologies!
> 
>  
> 
> Aaaa! Thank you for reading my first Bang fic! Thank you to my beta readers as well as the wonderful artist Fatcat91 who worked with me and the story to create some beautiful art. [Please go see the full images on Tumblr](https://fat-cat-91.tumblr.com/post/158667642389/sooooits-really-been-a-while-since-i-post)! I had a blast writing this fic and participating in the bang and plan on doing many more!


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